This invention relates to the topical and/or systemic treatment of viral-induced skin tumors and hemorrhoids with a class of compounds having sesquiterpene structures, including artemisinin, dihydroartemisinin, and derivatives and analogs of these compounds.
Currently known treatments of viral-induced tumors such as warts and molluscum contagiosum suffer from being sometimes ineffective and usually painful. The wart (papova) virus produces hypertrophic viable cells in the tumor mass and suppresses skin cellular immunity against the virus.
Hemorrhoids are the end result of swelling and inflammation of anorectal veins. Current treatments consist of topical analgesics and antiinflammatory agents as well as cathartics. Surgery often is curative but is extremely painful and requires prolonged convalescence.
Artemisinin or Qinghaosu is a proven systemic antimalarial agent purified from the herb Artemisia Annua. Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone with a peroxide grouping that is water insoluble but is extremely safe. There are reports from China that artemisinin 1) is virustatic against influenza virus in chick embryo, 2) suppresses humoral immunity, 3) stimulates cell mediated immunity, and 4) inhibits protein and DNA synthesis thus halting hypertrophy and hyperproliferation of cells. A tea made from the herb Artemisia Annua was used for centuries to treat hemorrhoids, malaria and other maladies.
In an effort to improve water solubility and decrease recurrences, scientists have developed semisynthetic derivatives and synthetic analogs of artemisinin. These compounds display the aforementioned sought-after characteristics with the added benefit of increased antimalarial activity. These compounds have never been studied for therapeutic activity in any primary skin diseases or tumors, and along with artemisinin have never been used as a topical treatment for any disease.
Treating primary skin disease and tumors with topically applied drugs improves safety, therapeutic success, and is much more cost effective. All topical drugs must penetrate the stratum corneum "barrier" to be effective. Since very few drugs successfully penetrate the stratum corneum by themselves, penetration enhancers or vehicles have been developed to cross this barrier. When combined with the active drug, a dramatic improvement in therapeutic effectiveness occurs.